Has quick movement ability coming out of his stance, showing nimble feet and good hand rise & explosion…Hits defenders instantly coming off the ball, delivering power behind his arm swipes… Gains position and sustains blocks with a wide leg base and arms extended…Has the leg drive to steer and block the defender…Shows very good knee bend for a player his size… Shows the agility to pull and accelerate at the point of attack… Uses his hands properly to turn the defender and makes smooth adjustments in space to cut off and wall off the linebackers…Very quick to set and extend his hands, delivering a forceful punch and jab on the pass rusher…Has the lateral slide needed to recover when changing direction… Competes and works hard in the weight room…Works well with the offensive guard in picking up stunts with ease…Shuffles his feet well setting up in pass protection…Physical, athletic and intelligent lineman who developed into one of the nation's premier offensive tackles in 2001…Dominating blocker who is light on his feet for his size…"The sky's the limit for Mike and he has a chance to be one of the great ones," offensive coordinator Greg Davis said…Moved into the starting lineup at right tackle in the later part of his sophomore year…Has allowed only two quarterback sacks in 28 career starts.

Join us in the TBD War Room! [11:35 AM]TBD reports:
Head on over to the TBD War Room and chat with your fellow Bills fans about the draft! Donahoe and company will surely give fans something to talk about!

Bills' questions may be answered on draft day [9:00 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'But one way or another, the Bills probably will have another quarterback on the roster by the end of the draft Sunday afternoon. "I'd say that's likely," Bills President and General Manager Tom Donahoe said.'

An eye for talent [8:59 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'"Scouting is not a math problem where you just add height, weight and speed and divide by the 40 time," Modrak said. "You have to blend it all together."'

Drawing Up A Deal For Drew [6:39 AM]WIVB-TV reports:
'Do not be surprised if part of the on-going discussions include the Bills and Pats considering swapping first round picks, with New England moving to 4 and the Bills getting Bledsoe and moving down to 32.'

Decision Day for Donahoe [5:29 AM]D and C reports:
'Donahoe has been holed up in his office at Ralph Wilson Stadium throughout this past week and probably hasn't seen the light of day, let alone felt the warmth of the sun.'

Bledsoe deal wouldn't top O.J. trade [5:27 AM]D and C reports:
'Two of the biggest quarterback acquisitions in Bills' history were Jack Kemp and Vince Ferragamo. One huge hit. One huge miss.'

The best and the worst of Bills' drafts [5:26 AM]D and C reports:
'1961 -- Bumper crop included three of the greatest offensive linemen in team history -- Hall of Fame guard Billy Shaw, tackle Stew Barber and center Al Bemiller.'

Bills have greater needs than QB [5:25 AM]Olean Times Herald reports:
'There was also a need at left offensive tackle, where aging John Fina missed four starts last season due to injury.'

Bills up offer, but Patriots won't bite [5:24 AM]Boston Globe reports:
'The Patriots have never acted like a team that wanted Bledsoe out of town, regardless of what they got in return. In fact, one source close to the process said the Patriots feel another team will enter the picture today and better Buffalo's proposal, which is why the Patriots thought about the Bills' offer for about 10 minutes before rejecting it.'

Pats nix Bills' deal for Drew [5:23 AM]Boston Herald reports:
'The Patriots also were flummoxed by the method in which Donahoe made his offer. Instead of calling Pats personnel director Scott Pioli directly, Donahoe faxed the request - and not just to Pioli. The fax went to five machines throughout the team complexes, including one belonging to owner Bob Kraft. It was a highly unusual move in terms of how business is done in the NFL. Most trade talks are conducted on a one-on-one basis over the phone.'

Patriots reportedly turn down Bills' offer [5:22 AM]Worcester Telegram And Gazette reports:
'The Bills have the fourth overall pick in this year's draft but have said they will not part with that to get Bledsoe. The Patriots are reportedly seeking a first-round pick in exchange for the 30-year-old former franchise quarterback.'

Donahoe not optimistic about Bledsoe trade talks [5:21 AM]AP reports:
'"I'm not overly optimistic that it's going to get done," Bills president Tom Donahoe told Buffalo radio station WNSA on Friday. "I still don't have the sense that they really want to do this, particularly with us. And that may be part of the hangup."'

April 19, 2002

Blake: Not Bills' answer at QB [5:31 PM]SI/CNN reports:
@ After being briefly courted by Buffalo, Blake has moved on while the Bills continue their bid to trade for New England's Drew Bledsoe, Blake's agent, Ralph Cindrich said, on Friday. "There's nothing there," Cindrich said, referring to the recent interest the Bills showed in Blake.

Patriots ponder Bledsoe [3:46 PM]Springfield Union News reports:
'If the Patriots do not trade Bledsoe by this weekend's draft, they would be faced with having a frustrated backup quarterback on their roster - one who has not been taking part in the team's off-season conditioning program. They seem willing to do that rather than swap their quarterback for little in return.'

Pats Turn Down Bills' Trade Offer for Bledsoe [3:44 PM]ESPN reports:
'...the Patriots turned down the Bills' latest offer after receiving a faxed proposal on Friday. Buffalo offered a No. 2 pick in 2003, with a clause that would have made it a No. 1 pick in 2003 if Bledsoe started 12 games or if the Bills qualified for the playoffs. The Patriots were not interested because the deal dealt with draft picks for next season, rather than this season.'

Blake doesn't believe he's Bills' answer at QB [1:28 PM]AP reports:
'After being briefly courted by Buffalo, Blake has moved on while the Bills continue their bid to trade for New England's Drew Bledsoe, Blake's agent, Ralph Cindrich said, on Friday.'

NFL still can't measure players' head, heart [1:28 PM]Olean Times Herald reports:
'Since Bill Polian took over as Bills' general manager before the 1986 draft, Buffalo has been one of the NFL's most successful teams in the player lottery.'

Harrington's fate may decide Bledsoe's future [1:26 PM]MSNBC reports:
'The general consensus is that market is limited to Buffalo and Cincinnati, but what if the Carolina Panthers decide at the last minute that they can’t win with a sore-armed Chris Weinke? What if the Detroit Lions come to their senses and take Harrington with the third pick instead of grabbing a defensive player such as Quentin Jammer or Julius Peppers?'

Help wanted [1:25 PM]Quincy Patriot Ledger reports:
'The Bills will not be a contender in 2002, but could be in 2003 if they have a solid draft. Getting Bledsoe would move them up a lot faster.'

What to do with Drew? [1:24 PM]Worcester Telegram and Gazette reports:
'The Bills have the fourth overall pick in the draft, but, according to the report, are unlikely to part with that to get Bledsoe. Whether the Patriots would settle for less for the former franchise QB remains to be seen.'

Bills Release Statement About Bledsoe [1:22 PM]buffalobills.com reports:
The speculation and misinformation concerning the Bills and QB Drew Bledsoe continues to run rampant throughout Western New York and beyond.

Bills continue to zero in on Bledsoe [8:59 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'If a deal for Bledsoe falls through, the Bills likely would go back to free agent quarterback Jeff Blake, the former New Orleans backup, and see if he will accept a contract offer Saturday.'

Bills make serious bid to acquire Bledsoe [5:32 AM]D and C reports:
'In short, the Bills could have the 30-year-old Bledsoe for three years at $16.5 million -- a bargain given his talent and the cost of top-notch quarterbacks these days -- before making a decision on what to do after 2004.'

Donahoe has chance to become area hero [5:31 AM]D and C reports:
'Think about it. The Bills get Bledsoe, a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback, who at age 30 has plenty of life left in his football career. A legitimate talent capable of masking other deficiencies on the team, who puts the club's rebuilding project way ahead of schedule. The Bills give up a third-round pick (they have two in that round anyway), retain their coveted No. 4 pick overall in the first round, and their second-rounder (No. 36). This is purchasing a nice used Cadillac with Yugo money.'